Information
FAQ’s, downloadables and centre information.
Our Centre
Operating Hours
- 8:30am - 4:30pm Monday to Friday.
- Open School Holidays.
- Closed for 4 weeks over New Year and Public Holidays.
Enrolments
- We enrol children from 2 years old.
- Children can commence at any time in the year if there are positions available.
- Children on the wait list are contacted mid-year to confirm enrolment for the following year.
CCS Approved
- The Child Care Subsidy (CCS) is a payment offered by the Australian Government for which you may be eligible.
- Families who are eligible will only be invoiced the gap amount.
Fees
- Fees for 2023 are $132 per day.
Frequently asked questions
The Discovery House enrols children from two to five years of age.
- 2 Year old's can attend Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday (we only enrol a maximum of 10 two year old's each year).
- 3 Year old's can attend all 5 days.
- 4 and 5 year old's can attend all 5 days.
Enrolment conditions:
- Minimum enrolment is two days a week.
- Days must be consecutive.
- No mid-week enrolments, eg. an enrolment day must start on a Monday, or end on a Friday.
The Discovery House;
- Operates from 8:30am to 4:30pm, Monday through Friday, 48 weeks per year.
- Open school holidays.
- Closed NSW public holidays.
CCS:
- The Discovery House is approved for Child Care Subsidy (CCS).
- Families need to apply for CCS via their Centrelink account and provide the primary parent and child's CRN upon enrolment. Once a child's enrolment is active, the family will need to log into their Centrelink account again and confirm that their child is enroled at The Discovery House before any subsidy can be applied.
- For more information on applying for CCS, click here.
NSW Fee Relief:
- If your child turns 4 years old on or before 31 July 2024 and is enroled in a preschool program at The Discovery House, you will receive up to $2,110 in fee relief.
- The fee relief will be passed on to you as a weekly reduction to your or gap fee. The reduction will be shown to your fortnightly invoice.
- The fee relief is in addition to and will not impact on your Child Care Subsidy payments provided by the Australian Government. Fee relief is not means tested and there are no residency or visa requirements.
- You will still need to pay any gap fees remaining after the Child Care Subsidy and fee relief have been applied
At The Discovery House, we follow the Early Years Learning Framework. Our programs are designed to foster holistic development, encompassing cognitive, social, emotional, and physical growth through interactive and engaging activities.
The Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) describes the principles, practices and outcomes essential to young children’s learning from birth to five years of age, as well as their transition to school. It's part of the Australian Government’s National Quality Framework for early childhood education and care.
The framework has a strong emphasis on play-based learning, recognising the importance of communication and language, including early literacy and numeracy, and social and emotional development. There are five learning outcomes defined by the EYLF:
- Children have a strong sense of identity.
- Children are connected with and contribute to their world.
- Children have a strong sense of wellbeing.
- Children are confident and involved learners.
- Children are effective communicators.
The safety of every child is our top priority. Within our centre all staff are trained in first aid, CPR, Anaphylaxis and Child Protection which is updated annually.
We have comprehensive polices, procedures and risk assessments that are available to parents at all times in both electronic and hard copy.
We conduct regular safety drills to ensure preparedness, parents are informed of the dates of these drills at the beginning of the year.
The Discovery House has very strong hygiene practices and children are taught about the importance of personal hygiene at all ages, eg. every child must wash their hands on arrival before entering the classroom. We have a strict illness policy to ensure all children in attendance are healthy and well, and potential germs are not spread through our centre.
We maintain a high staff-to-child ratio to ensure a high standard of supervision, education and quality care. The specific ratio depends on the age group of the children, aligning with industry regulations.
The team at The Discovery House is all permanent full or part time. We do not use unknown casual staff who do not know the children or centre. Our extremely low staff turnover is one of the aspects of this centre we are really proud of, we provide families and children the peace of mind and continuity amongst management and educators.
We believe in open and transparent communication. Regular updates, progress reports, and face-to-face communication are integral components of our approach to keeping parents informed about their child's development.
We use the App StoryPark as the main platform to communicate with families. Through this app you will receive;
- Daily updates when your child is in attendance.
- Learning observations.
- Snap shots of learning.
- The classroom monthly program.
- Any updates to policy and procedures.
- Messages from the office.
- Your childs individual learning plan.
At The Discovery House, we prioritise the well-being of every child, including their nutritional requirements. Our lunch box service requires children to bring in their own morning tea, lunch, and afternoon tea in three separate small containers. Our dedicated staff ensures that mealtimes are not just nourishing but also enjoyable, and we work closely with parents to accommodate any specific dietary preferences, restrictions, or allergies your child may have. Our aim is to create a positive and supportive environment that fosters healthy eating habits.
Specific information about what to pack is included in the parent handbook that you will receive at orientation before your child commences.
We have designated nap times for children aged 2 and 3 years old to ensure that children receive adequate rest, promoting their overall well-being and creating a comfortable environment for rejuvenation.
Our school readiness program (Lady Bugs) does not include a nap time, as we are preparing your child for the busy routine of primary school. However, please discuss your child's individual rest requirements with us during your tour or orientation.
Information regarding the enrolment process, including fees, required documentation, and any other relevant details, can be found on our website or obtained by contacting our dedicated team. We also offer tours to prospective parents who wish to experience our centre first hand.
The Discovery House enrolment process:
- Complete the online wait list form.
- Contact the Centre to arrange a tour and discuss your enrolment requirements.
- Once a position is available we will contact you and send an online offer to review and accept.
- The online enrolment includes a two week deposit that is allocated to your fee account upon commencement.
- Prior to you child's first day you will be invited for an orientation session, here you will receive a welcome pack which includes the parent handbook.
- Children can commence at any time in the year if there are positions available.
- Children on the wait list are contacted mid-year to confirm enrolment for the following year.